


Back again

by a1rjayce



Category: Don't Starve (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Angst, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Reincarnation, Slow Burn, god idk what to tag it with, its not gonna be like the longest slow burn ever but yknow, sort of, theres gonna be a lot of stuff, we'll see what i go with later, willow and wilson are cousins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-14
Updated: 2017-06-09
Packaged: 2018-10-18 18:00:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10622172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a1rjayce/pseuds/a1rjayce
Summary: A reincarnation AU in which only a few souls remember the events of their past lives, Maxwell included.All character designs, fanart, and tidbits about this AU can be found here: https://a1rjayce.tumblr.com/tagged/reincarnation-au





	1. Prologue: William Carter

**Author's Note:**

> This fic will be a collection of stories from the reincarnation AU-verse. Most of them will be in cohesive order, and there will be a happy ending.

His family had known from a young age that there was something wrong with their son. William Carter grew up in England with both of his parents and his brother, Jack. He was a smart young man, good in his studies, and he often helped his brother, but time and time again his parents had to come to his room in the middle of the night, the child's screams having awoken them. Whenever they asked him what was wrong he'd go on a tangent, telling them about monsters, magic, a strange group of people, and a woman named Charlie. At first, his parents were relieved, it was just a silly nightmare, they always managed to get their son back to sleep easily, but William wasn't convinced, everything about his dreams seemed too real, and they'd come night after night, before eventually he couldn't stop dreaming about a book, one he knew was called the 'Codex Umbra.' While his parents convinced him to continue being a child, in the back of his mind the nagging feeling that something weird was going on never went away. Jack had always supported him, despite being a bit frightened by the descriptions of monsters from William's dreams.

Some years later, when he'd reached adolescence, the nightmares came back full force, William found himself drawing the nightmares and gruesome things about his homework, and his teachers often reported it to his parents, calling them in for meetings, but William acted as if everything was normal, smiling, fixing his glasses, waving his hands, and excusing it as something of a joke, characters for a story he had written about a Great Magician named Maxwell. Despite it all, he'd come to accept that these weren't dreams, but reality. Some sort of past life, per-say. When William turned 18, he went shopping for magic supplies, wanting to become a magician and travel again. He wandered into a bookstore, and when he found himself in the back of the shop, he paused, his eyes widening as he turned his gaze towards a black bound book in oddly good condition. Slowly, he grabbed the book from the shelf and stared it down, a deep red 'M' on the cover. His hands trembled as he traced his fingers over it, sweat forming on his brow as he wandered to the desk and bought the book, not bothering to make idle chatter as he leaves.

It was when he had managed to make a name for himself as a smalltime Magician that William decided it was time to move to America. He'd been all over Europe, and hadn't yet met a single soul from his past life. He was beginning to believe that none of them had successfully come back. When he arrived in the new country, he spent time going through the process of getting citizenship, and getting his name changed to 'Maxwell.' By the time he had finished, he was ready to begin performing again, taking on the title of 'The Amazing Maxwell.' His performances were going swimmingly, and he was making a name for himself again, he'd all but forgotten his search for the others from his past life before it happened.

He found Charlie.


	2. Chapter 1: The Magician meets a Rose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally got this one done, with the help of the lovely nekogal12 on tumblr proofreading it!

Astonished by the woman in front of him, Maxwell approaches Charlie, adjusting his coat before clearing his throat, the young woman turns her deep brown eyes to him, focusing on his face. She tilts her head slightly before her eyes widen and she smiles brightly, folding her hands in front of her as she speaks.

"You're The Great Maxwell! I've seen a few clips from your shows online, and I'm a huge fan, sir!"

It was then that it hit him, Charlie didn't remember their past lives, and while for a moment he felt saddened by this, realization struck that this was probably for the best. If she didn't remember him, that meant she didn't remember how he ruined her life by getting the two of them dragged into that wretched world by "Them". He breathes out, shoulders relaxing as he begins to speak to the woman. They stand around for a good twenty minutes, just talking about everything, when Maxwell holds a hand out to her, leaning down slightly, his eyes twinkling in delight.

"Charlie, I know we just met, but would you like to be my assistant?"

Charlie stared for a moment before beginning to laugh, she steps back and sets her hands on her hips, shaking her head slowly before grabbing out a notepad from her small purse, and writing something down.

"Sorry Maxwell, but no. You may be 'Great' and all, but I know I was destined for greater things than just being a lovely assistant. I'm a businesswoman."

His expression darkened slightly, a frown on his face. Perhaps Charlie did change after being corrupted by "Them." He straightened up, straightening his tie and clearing his throat, but before he could get a word out the young woman holds out a white paper with numbers scrawled across it, she smiles and cocks her hip to the side.

"Maybe we can hang out sometime, though. Here's my number. Go ahead and text me whenever, it was a pleasure to meet you!"

Maxwell stood there, looking down quietly at the number in his hands, before he nods, waving to Charlie and heading off to continue his work. He'd keep ahold of this. Even if they weren't destined to be together again, he wouldn't let that stop them from being friends.

A year had passed rather quickly after this, Maxwell's fame and fortune growing from his shows, the city loved him, and he loved the city. It was a place where he felt he could be himself. As he was returning to his car from a show, he heard his phone ring and lifted it from his coat pocket, putting it to his ear and answering quickly, "Hello?"

"Maxwell, hey! How was your show?" The voice on the phone was unmistakeably Charlie's, and Maxwell found himself relaxing at that. He slips into the drivers seat of his car, locking it as he gets in and raising a brow. Rarely did she call him so suddenly without any sort of warning.

"It was great, the audience loves my tricks. How was your day?"

"It was lovely," She said, pausing and breathing out before she continued "Listen, I had something I wanted to ask you."

"Oh?" Maxwell raises a brow as he looks out his window at people passing by, nobody looked familiar to him, but by now, he was used to all of that.

"How would you like to take your show to a new city?" She sounds nervous as she asks the question, something unnoticed by Maxwell.

The offer was sudden, but it enthralled Maxwell. His eyes widened and he leaned back in his seat, a grin spreading over his face.

"I'd love that."

The relief in her tone was obvious, a small laugh escaping the reciever of the phone. "I'm glad. I'm renting a house out in California, and well, I thought this could be good for you!"

It was only about a month later that Maxwell got off of a plane in California, he met directly with Charlie when he arrived in the lobby, they spoke of small things, how the flight went, how Charlie's business affairs had been, and finally, of the house. Charlie hands Maxwell a yellow envelope, on the front there's an address written. She waves to him and turns to leave, wanting to hurry to a business meeting, and he stares down at the envelope, hailing a taxi to get to the address. It only takes a few days for him to get completely moved in, the arrival of his car setting all of this in stone. He begins to schedule shows, the nearest one being in approximately one week. Getting dressed and ready to go out for some lunch, a thought comes to his mind and he grins as he begins to leave his new home, adjusting his coat on his shoulders.

This could be a chance for him to find more people from his past life.


	3. Chapter 2: Exploring a New City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maxwell explores the new city and sees a few familiar faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the long wait, I'm going to try and update the fic a little more often now that I've gotten into a rhythm between work and time to write/draw.

Maxwell had begun to traverse his new city carelessly, ignoring the odd looks he'd received for his fashion despite the warmer weather. He didn't really mind, his mind was set on searching the area, even the smallest chance that he may find one of the others from his dreams tugged at him. He decides to try and stop for some food in a small strip mall, only to see a people passing and giving tips to a street performer, a mime. It didn't take long for Maxwell to find a bench that he could watch the other from. There was no mistaking it, the man miming was the same mime from those dreams, Wes. Much to Maxwell's surprise, Wes looked up at him during a break in his performance and moved his hands to cover his opened up mouth. Quickly, he gathered his belongings and approached the magician, and Maxwell saw something in his eyes in that moment, something he'd not even seen from Charlie when they met. It was recognition. He patted the spot next to him carefully, keeping his gaze focused on the tall mime, who slid into the spot next to him and settled his hands on his pants.

"You approached me rather quickly, why is that?" Of course, he had to start with a question of the sorts, there was a prickling doubt in him. Maybe Wes had only known him as a famous magician, not as the man of the past, but when Wes wheezed out softly and grabbed his phone, typing quickly before he hands it to the other, Maxwell's mind began to race. Looking at the screen, he read the only words that he needed to know in that moment.

'This may sound weird, but I've seen you in my dreams before.' He and Wes both remembered all of what happened. The two of them began to speak, reminiscing on what they'd seen in their dreams and what the two of them knew to be real. Wes had apparently thought for some time that he was having some sort of life problems due to the dreams, but when he moved here from France, he realized that couldn't be true. According to what Wes had shown him, there were others he'd seen in the city, by name Wes had listed Wickerbottom, Wigfrid, Woodie, Wendy, Abigail, Walani, Warly and Webber. Webber being around was something Maxwell was curious about, he certainly couldn't have stayed as a spider.  
After conversing for a good while, Maxwell excused himself to get lunch and left Wes to continue working. Knowing that at least a few of the others were there, it had his mind racing. This place for some reason seemed to pull them all in. He stops in a small shop, buying a crepe as he wanders the city. Passing by a dock he notices a fisherman getting ready to set off, while he recognized him, he shook his head, deciding not to approach. He didn't want to interfere with the man when he was preparing to leave.

It was a few hours later that he arrived in his home. He pulled off his jacket, headed to his study. There was something on his mind, it was extremely improbable that so many of the old survivors were here, maybe there was something deeper in action. He unlocks and opens a trunk in the room, pulling out the Codex Umbra. He begins to flip through the pages memories flooding him all at once. This happened every time he looked through that book, he felt sweat on his brow and slammed the book shut, panting lightly. As he calmed down, he realized something off. This was the same city that he and Charlie had performed their final act in all those lifetimes ago. Perhaps it was coincidence, but perhaps 'They' had something to do with it. Taking out a small notebook, he began to take notes. He'd need to do research, maybe the rest of the survivors were here, excluding Wilbur and WX-78, the only ones he wasn't completely sure were around were Wolfgang, Willow, and Wilson. Thinking over this, he paused and closed his book, the thought of meeting the gentleman scientist again was exhilarating, to say the least.


	4. Chapter 3: The Scientist and The Firestarter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Willow and Wilson are introduced to the story

The night was late and Wilson was standing at a table covered in beakers, blueprints and messily scrawled notes. He was so focused on writing as he examined a mixture he had in one of the beakers that he didn't even hear the footsteps coming down the stairs, he only realized someone was there when he smelled spice and jolted up, looking over his shoulder and catching sight of his younger cousin, Willow. The smell of food made his stomach growl and he covered it with his hand carefully. Willow held ramen in one hand, and in the other a rolled up a poster, as soon as she saw the dark bags under the male's eyes, she frowned visibly and approached quickly, then shoved the bowl of ramen into Wilson's hands.  
  
"Wilson Percival Higgsbury, have you slept at all?" She glared at the man, placed her hands on her hips, still holding the rolled up poster tight as she tilted her head. "It's been almost two days since you last actually slept, and after you finish that ramen, you're going to bed!"  
  
"Willow, pl-!" Immediately he had his mouth covered with one of her fingers and she shook her head, not taking her eyes off of his face.  
  
"Don't please me, can't you at least get some rest for your cousin?" After a moments silence, Wilson let out a low sigh and nodded, beginning to trudge up the stairs, he ate his ramen on the way, Willow shook her head and followed behind, she made sure the man went to his room before going to her own. She'd bother him more in the morning.  
  
Once Wilson finished the ramen, he was out like a light in his bed, he hadn't even bothered to bring the bowl out, something that always frustrated him later on when he had to wash his own dish, considering the stains leftover. As the sun rose Wilson dragged himself out of bed, feeling his stomach growling again. He had been denying his hunger during his time working, and quietly he wandered out to the kitchen, rinsing out his bowl from the night prior and filling it up with water so it could soak as he grabbed a frozen blueberry waffle and popped it into the toaster, too tired to properly cook a meal for himself. As soon as it was finished he sat down and began to eat it, he only lifted his head once he heard the telltale sound of Willow walking in. His energetic cousin was quick to act as she slammed the poster from the night before down in front of his face, Wilson raised a brow, swallowing the bite of waffle in his mouth.  
  
"The Amazing Maxwell? Sounds cheesy." He can't help but look slowly over the poster despite his words, the man pictured was holding a book and had his arm splayed out. What looked like shadows came from his hand, spelling out 'The Amazing' as the name 'Maxwell' lined the bottom. It was for a magic show, presumably, and he didn't particularly have any interest in magicians, despite the handsome man on the poster. Magic was just science used to trick the people rather than enlighten them, and Wilson did not like the prospect of that.  
  
Willow huffed, crossing her arms and pouting Wilson, "Well, cheesy or not, you're coming. I already bought tickets." Wilson opened his mouth to retort, but as soon as he did, Willow shook her head, frowning. "They're not in town, and I want you to come with! You only leave the house to go speak at lectures or occasionally go help out at the schools!" Wilson sighed heavily, shaking his head and giving in.  
  
"Fine, when is it?"  
  
"Tonight."  
  
It was already dark when the two had left, Wilson was in a worse mood than normal, a mixture he'd been working on was showing up with no results, even after everything he'd studied. The two were standing out in a line in the darkness, Wilson tugged his hoodie closer to his body, zipping it up all the way before he crossed his arms, glaring at the ground, Willow shook her head and showed the two tickets when they got to the door and were promptly let in. It was only around ten minutes after they found their seats that Maxwell had come out onto the stage, bowing formally and motioning to his book, he began a speech about the wonders of magic, doing a few tricks that had Wilson raising a brow. They were odd, some sort of illusion magic, though he wasn't certain how Maxwell had managed to pull them off.  
  
While he spoke, Maxwell's eyes scanned over the crowd, he spotted a familiar face and pigtails, Willow, he mused, not getting too distracted from his work, though he would have to speak to her eventually, but as his eyes moved to the man next to her, they widened just slightly, making eye contact with the scientist. Wilson was in the crowd, watching the show. He'd begun the main act of his performance almost too quickly, wanting to speak with the two as soon as possible.  
  
The show lasted an hour, everyone applauded and Maxwell bowed lowly, the curtain closing in front of him. Wilson and Willow slowly rose from their seats once most of the others had left, giving them some room to begin to leave, while Willow was impressed with some of the magic, she could tell Wilson was just confused by it, trying to figure it out in his head with a look of sheer concentration on his face. He'd seen nothing like it before and it had him curious. As they were about to leave they were approached by two large men, they had the look of bouncers for a club, one of them spoke up, allowing himself to smile slightly.  
  
"Maxwell would like to see the two of you backstage, follow me."


End file.
